
TN 303 
v G 3 (x (o 




R EP O R T 

»/ 

ON THE 

Salt Resources of Goderich, 

PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, (CANADA WEST.) 

BY 

)\ ' V 

C. A. GOESSMANN, Ph. D., SYRACUSE, N. Y. 


























































REPORT 


ON THE 

✓ 

Salt Resources of Goderich, 

• * 

PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, (CANADA WEST.) 






C. A. GOESSMANN, 


BY 

Ph. D., SYRACUSE, N. Y. 


The town of Goderich, County of Huron, Province of 

» 

Ontario, Canada, is located upon elevated grounds along 
the southern bank of the Maitland River, at its entrance 
into Lake Huron. It covers a considerable area of level land, 
and contains about 4000 inhabitants. The majority of its pri¬ 
vate dwellings and stores are of a respectable character. The 
Streets, which are wide and spacious, radiate from the stately 
Court House, which, from its size, and the extent of the public 
grounds surrounding it, represents the most prominent feature 
of the Town. The salubrious atmosphere, due to its peculiar 
location, has given to the town some reputation as a desirable 
Summer resort. 

The Northern Branch of the Grand Trunk Rail Road ter¬ 
minates within the Town limits. Three passenger trains leave, 
daily, the extensive R. R. Depot, by way of Stratford, for the 
East and the West, while a single R. R. track enters the Mait¬ 
land River Valley, running along the bank of the River to the 




2 



wharfs in the Harbor of Goderich, where an extensive Freight 
Depot completes the Rail Road arrangements for Lake freight 
transportation. 

The Harbor of Goderich, at the mouth of the Maitland, is pro¬ 
tected by two projecting bluffs, and is quite spacious and easy 
of access for vessels of every description, which maintain di¬ 
rect communication with the ports of the lower and upper 
Lakes during the season of Navigation. 


The Maitland River encircles the Town from N. to E. of S. E.; 
its bed gives evidence of a considerable change of its volume 
of water at different seasons, or, in consequence of particular 
local meteorological causes. The peculiar way in which the 
main body of water has worn out a part of the River bed in 
the vicinity of Goderich, presents decided advantages to render 
the River for several miles upwards, navigable ; the construc¬ 
tion of one or two locks, with some dredging, would secure 
direct navigation from the Lake to the localities which arc 
favorable to the erection of works for an advantageous 
development of the peculiar resources of Goderich. The banks 
of the river within the vicinity of Goderich are either abrupt¬ 
ly rising towards the Town or ascending gradually in form 
of terraces. The present water-mark of the River is from 
eighty to one hundred feet below the level of the adjoining 
mainland upon which the northern and eastern part of Gode¬ 
rich is located. A note worthy feature of the Maitland River 
is its frequent and abrupt windings, a fact which manifests 
itself not only in the vicinity of Goderich, but characterizes its 
whole course from its source to its entrance into Lake Huron. 
Its main direction is for 6 to 8 miles S. E. along the Grand 
Trunk R. R., turning suddenly to the N. E. 


The lands which border on the Maitland River Valley, are 
mainly level, (with here and there slight undulations,) and are 
but partially under cultivation. The soil consists of a consid¬ 
erable depth of a drift, composed near Goderich, of a gray clav- 
ish soil, which is largely intermixed with sand and gravel, and 
is apparently very productive. The general aspect of the 
country at large is that of a rich woodland. Forests of Beach, 


o 

O 

Maple, Ash and Oak, extend one hundred miles or more along 
the lake shore through Huron and Bruce Counties northwardly, 
and also Lampton County, towards the South. The Lake shore 
as a general rule is represented to he easy of access, affording a 
direct shipment of wood and lumber, by Lake, to the localities 
desired. 

Until quite recently Goderich presented but little interest 
beyond the mere fact of being a healthy and pleasant Lake 
shore town, located at the Northern branch of the Grand Trunk 
Rail Road, and serving as a covenient place of transit from 
Canada to the Michigan and Upper Lake Ports. To-day, 
Goderich claims to possess within its own limits and its imme¬ 
diate vicinity, a Salt resource of considerable extent and of su¬ 
perior quality. The discovery of this valuable resource was 
accidental. Parties engaged in searching for oil resolved to 
close up their works, without regard to results, by going to the 
depth of one thousand feet. Having attained the depth of 
960 feet, a highly saturated brine was struck, instead of oil, 
and the well was at once converted to the manufacture of boil¬ 
ed salt, and is yet the only one worked for the purpose of mak¬ 
ing Salt, at Goodrich. 

The first information of the existence of a salt manufactur¬ 
ing establishment at Goderich came into my hands through the 
office of the Salt Co. of Onondaga, about the 30th March, 1867, 
by a circular issued by Geo. Rumball & Co. of Goderich, dated 
Dec. 21, 1866, in which they announced the completion of 
their works. The actual manufacture of salt commenced, I 
presume, late in the fall of 1866. 

The mere fact of striking salt water instead of oil, changing 
the basis of operation from oil to salt, would have attracted 
little attention, had not the advertisement been accompanied 
by a letter of Professor T. Sterry Hunt, a distinguished chemist 
of Montreal, in which he states his analytical results with the 
remarks, that the Goderich brine was the most concentrated 
possible and, at the same time, the purest known. A glance 
at the analytical statement could not but confirm me in the 
correctness of his conclusions. Professor Hunt says, “the 





4 

brine tested was obtained on the 24th August, I860 : its spe¬ 
cific gravity was found to be 1.205 equal to 100 degs. salometer. 
One thousand parts of the brine contained 


Common Salt 

259,000 

Gypsum, 

1,882 

Chloride of Calcium 

0,432 

“ Magnesium, 

0,254 

Saline matter, 

261,568 


Professor Hunt adds, “ it appears that a wine pint of that 
brine will yield 2260 grains of salt and that 21.G gallons will 
give a bushel (56 pounds) of salt,” Ac., Ac. Taking into con¬ 
sideration, under such circumstances, the geological character 
of Goderich and vicinity, a quite lively interest was felt, and 
personal local enquiry in regard to the nature and the extent 
of the newly opened salt region decided upon. The results 
thus far arrived at by myself may be summed up in the follow¬ 
ing statement : 

Firstly. The present brine of Goderich is not only one of the 
most concentrated known, but also one of the purest (a), if not 
the purest, at present turned to practical use for the manufac¬ 
ture of Salt, 

Secondly. That the salt bearing region apparently extends 
for more than twelve miles S E. of Goderich, and thus covers, 
a much larger area, than at present lias been established. 

Thirdly. That Goderich possesses, in a high degree, all ne¬ 
cessary additional resources and facilities for the manufacture 
of salt and its transportation to all the important commercial 
points on the Western Lakes, and is therefore the most formid¬ 
able competitor the Salt works of the State of New York have 
ever yet had to contend with. 


In the following pages I shall present some of the most im¬ 
portant details obtained in the course of my examinations and 
inquiries upon which the foregoing three statements are based. 

(a) I had no chance to examine the brine of Saltville, Va.—and prefer on that account to 
speak less positively here. 








Soon after receiving the information above mentioned, samples 
of brine and salt from the Goderich works were received from 
reliable parties. The brine thus obtained (April, 18G7,) was per¬ 
fectly clear and colorless, and remained in that state for some 
time ; it settled afterwards a small quantity of Gypsum (com¬ 
monly called Plaster): no trace of Peroxyd of Iron can be no¬ 
ticed in that sample of brine even at the present time. I sub¬ 
jected the brine to a careful analysis, which gave the following 
result : 

Specific gravity 1.195, equal to 95° Salomctcr at 58° Pahr. 

One thousand parts of that brine contained 


Common Salt 

241,433 

Gypsum 

5,433 

Chiosidc of Calcium 

0,216 

“ “ Magnesium 

0,336 

Saline matter 

247,418 


The two samples of brines tested by Prof. Hunt and myself 
differ in the strength about 1.75 per cent of (Salt) Chloride of 
Sodium. The difference in regard to the per-ccntage of Gyp¬ 
sum, which affects but little the relative commercial value, may 
find satisfactory explanation either in variations of the salt 
deposits, &c. from which the brines originated, or in the cir¬ 
cumstances under which the saline solutions have been form¬ 
ed. The per centage of Gypsum obtained by myself, is 
still somewhat less than that contained in the brines of Onon¬ 
daga, N. Y. Comparing the results of both analyses, in re¬ 
gard to the percentage of Chloride of Sodium contained in* 
the Goderich brines with that known to be in the average 
brines of Onondaga (about 16 per ct.), w'C notice that the Gode* 
rich brine in either case exceeds the former by 50 per cent of 
salt, or more; whilst the percentage of obnoxious deliquescent 
chlorides contained in the brine of Goderich, amount only to 
1-4 or 1-6 of that found in the brines of Onondaga. 





Sulphate of Lime (Gypsum) 
Chloride of Calcium 


1,4300 

0,0072 

0,0313 

97,0309 

1,5000 


“ Magnesium 
“ Sodium (salt) 


Moisture 


100,0000 

This sample of Salt in a dried state would contain not less 


than 98.5 per cent, of chloride of sodium or pure salt ; it ranks 
consequently foremost among the common Fine Salt (boiled) 
in the market. The percentage of the deliquescent chlorides 
of calcium and magnesium, compounds, which arc considered 
the most obnoxious component parts of brine or salt, compares 
most favorably with the best foreign and domestic Salt. In 
fact the composition of the Goderich brine is such as to war¬ 
rant a priori, with but little care, a superior salt—Common, 
Fine and Coarse. The commercial value of the brine of Gode¬ 
rich, in consequence of its superior purity and strength as com¬ 
pared with the brine of Onondaga is, judgingfrom the previous 
statements, quite obvious. The Michigan and Ohio River 
brines, I need scarcely add, have still less chance to compete 
successfully on anything like equal terms. 

I improved, subsequently, my chances for gathering infor¬ 
mation, by visiting twice the Town of Goderich and its vicini¬ 
ty. I was at Goderich for the first time, during the latter part of 
June, 1807, and again towards the last of December of the same 
year. At my first visit I saw one well with boiling works 
attached to it, and heard of another one being fairly started. 
I found the first well on each visit in good running order, fully 
supplied with brine, and turning out a large amount of most 
superior Salt of a fine grain and in appearance similar to the 
Liverpool Fine. The samples of brine and salt, of which I sta¬ 
ted the analyses above, were taken from this establishment. 

The following is a brief description of the first Salt Manu¬ 
facturing Establishment at Goderich; The well and ivories are 



located upon the iSortli side of the Maitland River ; cast of a 
large bridge, which secures the communication between Gode¬ 
rich and its outskirts on the opposite river-bank, upon an eleva¬ 
tion of about 25 or 30 feet above the present water mark, and 
about one mile and a half from the mouth of the Maitland River 
in the Harbor of Goderich. The well is stated to be exactly 
1000 feet deep, with iron tubing to almost its entire depth. 

Ihe pump, which has been connected with it for raising the 
brine to the supply tanks of the boiling works, is but two 
inches in diameter and is worked by a twenty-five horse power 
engine. The original bore of the well is five inches in diame¬ 
ter—'the upper portion of the iron tubing is stated to be four 
inches, while its lower portion is smaller. 

The fresh water circulating between the various layers of 
limestone, which overlay the saliferous rocks, rises within eight 
feet of the surface of the surrounding grounds in its immediate 
vicinity ; the brine itself partaking but little of an artesian 
character. The grounds in the rear of the works ascend quite 
abruptly to the general level of the lands along the Maitland 
River in that District. They report, that in sinking the well, 
they passed through from 25 to 30 feet of coarse gravel, (drift- 
mass) after which they entered a series of layers of harder and 
softer greyish limestone—sometimes interlaid with a similar 
colored softer clayish deposit, usually of limited thickness. 
After having readied the depth of 9G0 feet, much softer rocks 
were struck ; they noticed for the first time in entering them 
a saline water of considerable strength, and ceased boring af¬ 
ter perforating these softer rocks 40 feet, making the entire 
depth of the well 1000 feet. These softer rocks are represent¬ 
ed to be layers of Shales, Gypsum and Rock Salt. During the 
first attempt of pumping it is claimed there were brought to light, 
suspended in the brine, real crystals of Rock Salt. Whatever 
the real fact of the last statement in that particular ma} r have 
been, I dQ not presume to decide. I d&[not, however, hesitate 
to express the belief, that, at least, areal salt deposit in a very 
pure state could not be far off from a locality, from which 


8 


brines of the composition and concentration as above had been 
taken. 

The sudden change (in that well) from fresh water to a 
strong brine at the depth of 960 feet could, in my opinion, only 
find a satisfactory explanation in the presumption of the fact, 
that an impermeable clayish strata (shale) must have exclud¬ 
ed, quite successfully, the fresh water drainage of the upper 
layers of limestone, &c., from the lower saliferous rocks; for 
whatever in the course of time, by a natural diffusion of saline 
solutions towards the surface might have been left undone, 
the plunging of the' drill and the sand pump during the process 
of boring, must have accomplished in but a few operations. 
Although at that stage of development of the salt resource, 
some grave objections might have been raised against some 
of the details of an opinion, then current at Goderich, in regard 
to the character of the supply, yet there remained in my mind 
but little doubt about the correctness of the main feature, name¬ 
ly, close proximity of Rock Salt of an apparently extensive char¬ 
acter. Facts have since transpired, which for the force of ar¬ 
gument, I may introduce here, in advance of their detailed 
description in proper connection, which have settled further 
controversy on these points. Rock Salt has been struck at 
Goderich, three-fourths of a mile south cast of the first well 
heretofore described, and also, quite recently, at Clinton, 
twelve to thirteen miles south-east of both wells. Some diffi¬ 
culties in regulating the amount of brine were encountered as 
soon as actual work for the supply of the boiling works began; 
these troubles (as 1 am informed) have entirely ceased, and 
the brine has been furnished, for months past, of a quite uni- 
form quality and quantity, pumping only eighteen hours per 
day. At the beginning, when taxing the well beyond a certain 
limit, they either exhausted the supply, or reduced materially, 
the strength ot the brine. Proper precautions, as I stated, 
have been taken since, in consequence of which it appears, 
that the concentration of the brine fluctuates within narrow 
limits, from 93° to 95 Q Salometer, at 58° Fahr. I have test¬ 
ed the brine twice (June and December of the past year) di- 


9 


rectly from the well. 1 noticed on these occasions but little 
variation in its strength within the limits above stated, and 
feel on account of that fact, quite satisfied concerning its pres¬ 
ent stability in quality. The daily supply of brine has been 
sufficiently established to warrant the practicability of adding 
a third block of sixty kettles to the present establishment— 
counting thus, three blocks of one hundred and sixty-two ket¬ 
tles to one well, with a two inch pump. The proprietors of the 
works expect to meet a part of the larger supply of brine re¬ 
quired for the future, by pumping continually—i. e. twenty 
four hours instead of eighteen hours, their present practice. 

The boiling works consist at present of two blocks of fifty- 
two kettles each : the capacity of the kettles ranges from 120 
to 140 gallons ; five men are in attendance during the day and 
three during night, besides the engineer for the pump. The 
cleaning of the kettles, by means of fresh water during day¬ 
time, accounts for the increased force of workmen during that 
period of time. Sixteen cords of hard wood are consumed, of 
which one cord and a half have to be counted for running the 
pump ; a cord of hard wood costs two Dollars. *A barrel for 
packing Salt costs thirty cents ; wages are from one dollar 
twenty cents to two dollars. The blocks are very substantially 
built, and are supplied with four large tanks for receiving the 
brine from the pump, serving thus as storage rooms for the brine. 
No process of settling the brine is practised. The blocks are 
still on Sunday, according to State Law. The only difficulty 
the parties at Goderich have to contend with at present, is the 
rapid incrustation of the kettles, a trouble due to the strong 
concentration of their brine in connection with their peculiar 
system of manufacture. The Salt separates under existing 
circumstances largely in a fine grain, which in consequence of 
the intense heat applied, bakes in considerable quantities to 
the bottom and sides of the kettles, forming thereby within 
twenty-four hours an incrustation (bitterns) of several inches 
thickness—a result which causes not only a considerable waste 
of Salt fit for the market, but interferes also very seriously, 

♦All prices stated in connection with the Goderich Salt Works arc in gold, if not otherwise 
mentioned. 



10 


with an economical application ol the fuel, ihe Salt is alter 
separation from the pickle (mother liquor) as might have been 
expected from a brine like the Goderich, of a superior color, of 
a hard and fine grain, resembling the best brands of home and 
foreign manufacture, and that success is attained without any 
but ordinary care required for the manufacture of common Fine. 
It will be noticed that the sole objection, which may be raised 
against the Goderich brine is merely incidental—for the brine 
is too strong, to be worked to its full advantage by the system 
of manufacture at present pursued; evaporation by more mod¬ 
erate heat—for instance on the European plan of large pans 
&c., or evaporation by solar heat in wooden vats on the Onon¬ 
daga plan, would no doubt prove more successful; each of these 
methods would produce with less trouble not only a very good 
marketable article of its kind, but secure what is most import¬ 
ant—the full percentage of Salt, which might be expected 
comparing' its concentration for instance with the brines of On¬ 
ondaga, a difference of 50 per cent. As time will surely remedy 
the present condition at Goderich, it will be but fair to presume 
equal experience and skill in the management of the mamufac- 
ture of Salt, when the question of the chances of the Goderich 
Salt for competition in the general market shall be discussed 
in some of the following pages of this paper. 

Taking this view, I need scarcely add, that the subsequent 
statements concerning the present financial operations of the 
Goderich salt works, may claim more interest on account of 
what they suggest, than what they now present. The salt man¬ 
ufacture is carried on by a joint-stock company ; the original 
stock for sinking well and constructing the block, &c., was 
ten thousand dollars (the expense of sinking well was $0000) ; 
when the manufacturing of salt began, the capital was increas¬ 
ed by an additional subscription of $4000, of which but $700 were 
required to be called in. The Company manages its business 
through one of its stockholders, and all the salt made is sold 
to one party at one dollar twenty-five cents per barrel at the 
works. Six months after the works commenced operations, a 
dividend of 15 per cent, was paid to the stockholders ; and at 


11 


the end of the year a further dividend was declared 
of 35 per cent., making a clear profit of fifty per cent, for the 
first year in spite of many incidental expenses arising from a 
first attempt at starting an entirely new business, and a pro¬ 
duction of salt three to four bushels less to a cord of hard wood, 
than at Syracuse, where a brine is worked which contains fifty 
per cent, of salt (Chloride of Sodium) less, than that at Gode¬ 
rich. 

The following figures are given to me as a fair representa¬ 
tion of their expenses for the past year ; six days operation 
every week ; ten months operation ; 95 to 100 barrels per day; 
24,000 barrels annual production. One hundred barrels cost, 
as follows, viz : 


Wood, 

$32 

Labor, 

20 

Barrels, 

30 

Cartage, 

6 

Oil, &c., 

1 

Interest on Capital, 

O 

O 

$92 


Leaving to stockholders, even at those figures, $33 per 100 
barrels over and above seven per cent, interest on the capital 
invested. If, in addition to these figures, we take into consid¬ 
eration, that the cord of hard wood, at present produces but 
34| bushels, which at a low estimation is but two thirds of the 
amount we might expect, judging from analogy, wo are forced 
to the conclusion, that the prospects of the Company are highly 
flattering. In consequence of the great success of the first 
enterprise a lively interest was aroused at Goderich ; other 
parties embarked in the new business ; a second well was 
started about three quarters of a mile to the south-est, upon 
the opposite side (south side) of the Maitland River, and in 
close proximity to the freight house of the Grand Trunk Rail 
Road. 

In sinking the well they passed through 93 feet of clay and 
gravel, entering subsequently the same series of sandstone 



12 


and clayish limestone rocks, which had been met with in the 
first well, and also the shales ; they stopped boring at the 
depth of 1101feet after having penetrated fifteen feet of rock 
salt. The well was finished after eight months working, No¬ 
vember last, 1867. I examined this locality during my second 
visit, December, 1867, of which 1 shall speak from hence. 
Many changes could be noticed after an interval of six months. 
The first salt works, doing an extremely profitable business ; 
Rock Salt struck within the outskirts of Gooderich ; the con¬ 
fidence in the extensive character of the Salt resource greatly 
strengthened; seven derricks, lining both sides of the Maitland 
River, erected,'* of which four stood close to the R. R.; priv¬ 
ileges for switches to the contemplated works, secured ; con¬ 
tracts for the construction of works offered ; part of the 
building material for some of the works procured, and ten 
companies reported to have been organized. There were ap¬ 
parently but three causes which governed the situation, viz, ; 
the period of time (6 to 8 months) required to sink a well 
through 800 to 900 feet of hard rock ; secondly, the lateness 
of the season, and thirdly, the want of capital, owing to exten¬ 
sive losses in oil speculations. In addition to these causes 
may be stated, that a certain class of business men, in conse¬ 
quence of the recent report, that rock salt had been struck at 
Clinton, 12 miles south east of Gooderich—within one to two 
hundred yards of the Grand Trunk R. R., concluded there was 
too much salt to make its manufacture pay under the present 
commercial situation of Canada. 

The consumption of salt outside of those parts of Canada, 
which can procure English salt at low cost, is set down to be 
equal to six hundred barrels per day. The leading men of 
Goderich are fully aware of their condition, and feel by no 
means discouraged ; they are prepared to offer inducements to 
outsiders to get started ; they hint at protective home legisla¬ 
tion in certain emergencies, and feel quite confident, trusting- 
in their superior resource of valuable brine, their extensive 
supply of fuel and lumber and their decided advantages of 
transportation, to be able at a not very distant day, to enter 


13 

our lake shore markets, even under the present tariff. Whether 
their expectations may be realized I propose to answer by 
treating the points of advantages raised, in addition to what 
has been said in the foregoing pages, somewhat more in detail, 
each one under its particular heading. 

Resources of the supply of Brine at Goderich and its vicinity. 

When describing the observations made at the first well, 1 
reported the presence of rock salt at the termination of the well 
was supposed to be proved beyond doubt in consequence of 
bringing up fine crystals of rock salt suspended in the brine, 
by aid of the pump, which raised the latter. As no sample of 
rock salt, thus obtained, could be produced for identification, I 
hesitated somewhat in accepting the theory, then favored at 
Goderich. I held the opinion, that such a rapid change from 
saturation to even seventy-five degrees Salometer and back 
again could not be presumed to be due to a mere contact of 
fresh water with solid rock salt in so short a space of time ; 
the presumption of saliferous rock permeated with fine crys¬ 
tals of salt appeared to be a more probable cause. Whatever 
may be the local condition of salt, is in itself, here, of no particu¬ 
lar consequence, since one year’s operation has settled all doubts 
about a sufficient supply of superior brine to insure an advan¬ 
tageous working in that instance. 

The second well, which as I stated before, is sunk on the oppo¬ 
site side (south side) of the Maitland river, at a distance of 
about three-quarters of a mile from the first one towards the 
south-east, has established the presence of Rock Salt. One of 
the proprietors of that well, the Hon. M. C. Cameron, Member 
of Parliament from that district, procured me some samples of 
Rock Salt as furnished by the sand pump: they entered, ac¬ 
cording to his statement, fifteen to sixteen feet in the Rock 
Salt. These samples of Rock Salt gave by their peculiar frac- 
ture and size, evidence of a colorless Rock Salt deposit of great 
hardness. I visited the well for the purpose of collecting brine 
for analysis, and testing its depth. I failed to succeed, for the 
well being tubed to 150 feet, had filled up partly with a clayish 
mud, in consequence of the fresh water drainage ; the water 


14 


stood to about 150 feet below the surface, and it was fresh on 
top; the mud, which stuck to the test bucket, was of a decided¬ 
ly pure saline test, and resembled much in color a mass of 
crushed blueish shale of the Onondaga Salt groupe in our vi¬ 
cinity. Taking all the various information obtained in regard 
to the second well into consideration, and the conclusions we 
have to arrive at are quite obvious ; the actual presence of 
Rock Salt, renders, under the accompanying circumstances, a 
good supply of superior brine quite certain. The general con¬ 
fidence in these conditions manifests itself in the fact, that from 
four to five derricks have since been erected in the neighbor 
hood of the second well lining the R. R. Track to the east and 
west. The extent of ground thus far explored would in itsself 
be sufficient to support the manufacture of Salt on an exten¬ 
sive scale. The discovery of Rock Salt at Clinton (from 12 to 
14 miles to the south east of Goderich) under similar geologi¬ 
cal conditions, has added much to satisfy all parties in regard 
to the question of an abundant supply. The well at Clinton is 
owned by Mr Ransford : I have visited the locality. The well 
was finished but three weeks before my arrival. Mr. R." was 
absent; he resides in England and had left for that country to 
complete arrangements for the erection of Salt Works. 

It is stated they passed through about 80 to 90 feet drift 
mass, then through 960 to 970 feet of clayisli limestone rocks 
like those at Goderich, and 30 to 40 feet of brine bearing 
shales, penetrating finally 15 feet in the Rock Salt. The well 
is 1185 feet deep. I obtained some salt, represented to have 
been made from the brine of that well; if such is the case, its 
composition must prove quite suggestive in regard to the gen¬ 
eral character of the Salt bearing basin, which apparently un¬ 
derlies that section of Canada. The Salt was of a hard grain 
and had been subjected to much handling. 

Not being familiar with the mode pursued in its manufac¬ 
ture, I prefer to retain the results of my analysis. The geolog* 
ical character of the rocks which inclose the Salt resource at 
Goderich and its vicinity, may be surmised from the geological 
maps of Canada, published by the distinguished officers of the 


15 


geological board of Canada—they are the same which out-crop 
in our vicinity—the shales of the Onondaga Salt group. Judg¬ 
ing merely from a chemical point of view, I presume Goderich 
and its vicinity to be at the head of an extensive Salt deposit, 
resting in a depression of the Onondaga Salt group, which, if 
my results in regard to the Salt obtained at Clinton may be re¬ 
lied on, appears to incline towards the South East or South. 
Although no systematic investigation of the Salt resources has 
as yet been made, sufficient has transpired in consequence of ac¬ 
cidental observation, to entitle to the belief in its extensive 
character. 

A 

Resources of Wood and Lumber for Fuel , Barrels, construction 

of Buildings &c. 

Very little remains to be said in this connection. Canada and 
the adjoining lake shores are the acknowledged storehouses for 
these demands. Syracuse draws a large proportion of its ma¬ 
terials for the manufacture of barrels from these localities. 
The general character of the grounds adjoining Lake Huron and 
Georgian Bay, is that of a well timbered wood-land, The 
cord of wood sells at Goderich, in the general market, for two 
dollars; what its price will be, if wood-land at the present mar- • 
ket price (ten to fifteen dollars) is secured in localities along 
the lake shore, which, as a general rule, as I am informed, is 
on account of its elevation easy of access, can be better deci¬ 
ded by parties acquainted with the details bearing upon that 
question, than I am prepared to state. The price of chopping 
a cord of wood has been formerly fifty cents—lately seventy- 
five cents. Even if the forests should become exhausted, the 
bitumnious Coal of Ohio by way of Cleveland, might be made 
available under proper management, at less cost than the Salt 
Company of Onondaga under its present arrangement is able 
to secure. We have therefore to concede the correctness of 
the second advantage claimed at Goderich. 

Facilities of Transportation. 

Goderich being located at the termination of the Grand Trunk 
R. R. has all the advantages for inland trade so far as R. R. 


10 


transportation can be made serviceable. A number of the con¬ 
templated works are clustering around the terminus of the R. 
R.; the R. R. Company has consented to the construction of 
switches from these works to its Freight Depot; the loading of 
cars for the interior trade can consequently be done to some 
extent at least at the works ; a connection by rails of the R. 
R. depot, in the town of Goderich, with the R. R. freight house 
and wharfs inside of the harbor, furnishes also direct commu¬ 
nication with Lake Huron. The packed salt may be thus 
transferred upon sailing vessels with but little delay, and I 
presume but small expenses, for it may ultimately prove to be 
the best policy of the R. R. Company, as far as freighting busi¬ 
ness is concerned, to establish reasonable rates, for they can 
expect to control only the inland trade within a limited district. 
The facilities offered by the Maitland river ,which terminates 
in the harbor of Goderich, must eventually check a R. R. 
monopoly even within the Province of Ontario. 

I have mentioned, on a former occasion, that the peculiar 
way in which the bed of the Maitland river has been worn out 
towards its termination, would favor projects to render that 
river from the harbor upwards for probably several miles nav¬ 
igable, along localities most recommendable for the erection of 
works. The salt once on board of vessels, has all the advan¬ 
tages of lake transportation. Parties familiar with the lake 
trade state, that ten cents might be considered a high figure 
for carrying a barrel of salt to Chicago, if arrangement for 
regular transportation could be made. The river outlet may 
act as I mentioned before, as a check against high freight 
rates of the R. R. Company, for the salt may be carried upon 
that route through Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, in conse¬ 
quence of which it may not only be distributed along the 
shores of the latter, but be sent by way of the Collingwood— 
Toronto R. R. into the heart of Canada. 

Viewing, after these few remarks, the map of the northern 
and north-western portion of this Continent we feel inclined to 
yield to Goderich great facilities of transportation to most im¬ 
portant commercial centers. 


17 


I have to make but a few remarks more before concluding 
this Report. Passed experience has apparently settled the 
question of the success of the Goderich salt, as far as the 
home market is concerned. The production of salt at present 
is but one sixth compared with their home demand of about 
six hundred barrels per day. Six to eight, like their present 
boiling works, could furnish that demand ; and as there are 
already six to seven wells located and partly started in addi¬ 
tion to the one in running order, the question arises, what will 
be next in order. We may answer that question to ourselves; 
they will be forced to look for access to our markets. 

To carry that design into effect, they meet the provision of 
our present tariff, which is twenty-four cents (gold) on one 
hundred pounds of packed salt and eighteen cents (gold) on 
one hundreed pounds of loose salt. How far they may be en¬ 
abled to overcome that circumstance, may be adduced from the 
following figures. Syracuse Fine Salt sold at Chicago for two 
dollars and fifty cents during the past season, as I am inform¬ 
ed. The salt works at Goderich with but 34J bushels to one 
cord of wood, cannot expect to compete with the Syracuse salt: 
it falls three bushels at least behind in the yield of the same 
kind of fuel at Syracuse ; but its chances for competition 
change considerable, as soon as the full amount of salt from 
the Goderich brine shall be produced with probably less labor. 
I stated, that that brine contained fifty per cent, of salt more, 
than the brines of Syracuse, which additional amount to secure 
is not a new problem to be dissolved ; it is practically settled 
in regard to fine boiled salt in England. . To count fifty-two 
bushels to one cord of hard wood might be but fair. In re¬ 
gard to salt made by solar evaporation, it admits of no doubt, 
that the full difference in regard to the concentration of the 
Goderich and Syracuse brine, will find its corresponding fig¬ 
ures in the final yield. Taking this view I can but agree with 
parties engaged in the salt business at Goderich, that seventy 
cents per barrel will be, before long, their manufacturing price 
at Goderich. Taking this figure, which seems to be by no 
means too low, we find the following result : 


18 



Gold, [140] 

Currency. 

One Barrel of Salt, 

70 

98 

Freight to Chicago, 

10 

14 

Duty on 280 lbs. > 

Salt, [packed] $ 

GT 2-10 

94 8-100 

Storage, selling, land- 

l 


ing, etc. at Chicago, 

j 21 42-100 

30 


1 68 62-100 

2 36 8-100 


These figures would leave about fourteen cents profits on 
one barrel of Fine Salt. Arrangements for shipping the salt 
loose, which might be perfected with less inconvenience and 
expense at Goderich than at Syracuse, would give a still more 
decided profit to the operators at Goderich. The present salt 
works at Goderich, if once placed in the condition previously 
mentioned, might still realize from 22 to 24 per cent, profit on 
the capital invested. Without the existence of a protective 
tariff, the result is too obvious to need further comment. 

Syracuse, Jan. 16, 1868. 

CHAS. A. GOESSMANN. 


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